The Haunting Of
by Lector Dominion
Summary: Hikaru never knew that helping a dying man would mean his spirit would attach itself to him and thought it's a punishment. Now though, he felt that the ghost is the help God sent for him when he realized Sai would be able to help him for his artist career through his knowledge of Go. He just have to be careful he won't be dragged into the world he really doesn't have any idea of.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Hikaru never knew that helping a dying man would mean his spirit would attach itself to him and thought it's a punishment. Now though, he felt that the ghost is the help God sent for him when he realized Sai would be able to help him for his artist career through his knowledge of Go. He just have to be careful he won't be dragged into the world he really doesn't have any idea of.

 **Disclaimer:** Come on guys, we all know fanfiction authors are just that, fanfiction authors. We are – and that means I am – not the owner of the original story. The plot I have here is mine though along with OCs I might introduce.

 **Note:** Unedited. No Beta. Short chapters. Irregular update, not to mention the long wait in between. Slash. Character-Death that of course we already know who.

 **Pairing:** So that you all know, since my first chapters or so will be slow. The end pairing for this will be Seiji/Hikaru or Seiji/Hikaru+Sai in his ghost form. I just have that craving and I wanna make it work. Anyway, enjoy reading!

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 **The Haunting Of**

 **01:**

Sometimes, being a good person is not _good_ for a person's health... or life.

Hikaru only knew of one person having a seemingly normal black hair with an honest to goodness natural gleaming _violet_ color when hit by the light in the right angle in his entire short 23 years of life. And he had seen that for only 20 minutes in that day.

That was even under the situation when he decided on a whim to help someone who called out for help weakly in a narrow alley while he was on his way back to his small and rundown apartment.

It was the first thing he noticed almost immediately the second his cellphone flashlight hit the downed man he decided to help - because _how unusual is that?_ \- before he kicked that thought out of his mind when blood registered inside his mind pooling around the man.

He called for help even as he tried to keep the man from falling unconscious, talking to him about inane and not-so inane things just to get the man to pay attention and not 'fall asleep'. He did not touch him because he did not know anything about first aids aside from doing CPR, and that is useless at the moment.

Upon coming back to his apartment, now cleaned up and ready to fall asleep, he realized how idiotic it was to focus on unusual hair color when a man is dying. Because _priorities._ Also, how could he even say it was a natural color? Plenty of people nowadays color their hair for various reasons. Even he had done that, bleaching his bangs to make him different from anyone else.

No matter that it was the reason why he wasn't immediately accepted in any job he applied. After all, another reason why he could not hold a job longer than a month is because of his attitude of speaking up his mind when he was slighted.

He had not always been a calm person no matter how he was now. He was an energetic and and hard-headed kid, impulsive and reckless teenager and a confrontational adult who had too much self-respect.

Granted, he still is that. Only he had learned pretty hard how to be patient and the art of holding his tongue. He thinks any of the words he lets out carefully and makes it precise and to the point without any deflection. He comes across as blunt and brutally honest and that was the reason why his bosses and co-workers often does not ask for his input unless they absolutely needed it.

It works for him because he really did not have much time for socializing. After all, he really did not want to remain as someone working as a cashier forever.

As a high school graduate with an okay to outstanding grade, he could have entered any other high salary paying job than being an overqualified cashier, and he had before. Only, he realized office job was not for him and that he hates being told what to do like a glorified slave. He hates sucking up and he hates having to curb his tongue just so he won't offend any of his bosses.

He had gone through all the jobs he could take and found all of them to be something he did not like nor would he come to like.

He knows himself. Even before his parents were alive, and when he had come to live with his grandfather until he died himself, he has always been aware of himself. He never doubted what he could or could not do. Eventhough he had the tendency to lie while he was still a child and a teen, he has always been brutally honest with himself.

He knows that though he can adapt to an admirable level, though he can learn something if he tried, if he did not like it, he won't ever thrive. It's the reason why he was so good in soccer upon deciding it would be his ultimate sport, why he knows math so well in the later half of his high school. It's because he had come to like them, knows right from when he started learning whatever he did decide to do that he would come to like them.

And if what he was doing was something he never could like no matter how much he could tolerate, he would drop it before his hard-earned patience worn out and he snaps.

With that concluded and a small, passing thought that he hoped the man - he remembered his name was Sai - would make a recovery before he fell asleep. If only because it'd be a waste if he died since he was the lucky person he stumbled upon when he had the whim thought of helping and being involved.

Yes, he has become a callous person. At least it was the only thing that came out of him being disillusioned living in a cruel world.

It was two weeks later that his whimsical decision to be helpful, to be good resulted to him now housing a real life ghost in the form of the man he had helped that day, in the same bloodstained white suit he wore that day and hair ridiculously violet in color.

 **. . . . .**

The shock came when it happened, followed by disbelief. Hikaru admit that he had internally freaked out. A real freaking GHOST is inside his apartment, the person he had helped two weeks ago. Apparently, he had died and went straight to him and is now unable to leave his vicinity. In other words, both of them are stuck together.

All his issues regarding the supernatural - as in a freaking GHOST - being real already gone by and passed and now he is concentrating on the resounding single word of 'stuck'. They're stuck together now. Sai accordingly could not leave and he is the only one who could see him.

"I want an exorcist," Hikaru said, quite serious at what he had told the now clearly freaking out ghost.

 **"Wait! I'm not going to be a bother! Please don't make me go away!"** the ghost wailed. He honest to goodness wailed. Even when he had first seen Sai in that alley, he had always figured he is rich. Probably dignified and acts like a calm royalty from ancient times. Not arrogant as he had never been conceited to him even once. Now, his image is all but destroyed with that wail.

 _I thought I got out of freaking brats,_ he grudgingly thought to himself. Sai continued wailing and he looked upset. His tears were falling on his cheeks and dropped from his face but vanished when it left his translucent skin.

It was then that nausea hit him hard like somebody punched him out of nowhere. He slapped his hand onto his mouth and ran towards the sink where he proceeded to puke his guts out.

He did not hear Sai's panicking inquiries of his health, but he did feel sudden coldness passing through him and he shivered, already knowing that it was probably Sai trying to touch him like he had done before while he was still sleeping. It was actually the reason why he woke up and shrieked so hard the landlord of that rundown apartment came in and told him to shut up as he woke up with a ghost's face right in front of him.

Hikaru immediately went and rinsed his mouth before he gave Sai a look when he got his bearings back. "Stop it! You can't touch me. You're already a ghost. The only thing your doing is making me sick."

 **"I'm sorry,"** Sai remorsefully said, eyes starting to leak and radiating sadness through his ghostly pores. At once, nausea started and he vomited again.

The cycle repeated. He thinks he gets why he, out of the blue, currently feels like this. Especially when he is freaking healthy and maintains to stay that way as he could not afford to be sick. Also, how could this one appear out of nowhere without any sort of warning?

There was only so much he could take. Despite Hikaru finally finding his zen-like patience, he still is an impulsive person that has a short temper and was easily angered. He just had a better grip on himself these days as it was something he needed. But he was only human and sooner or later, he would snap.

Given the current situation he is in, he thinks he should be given a leeway.

"Stop freaking out, dammit!" he snapped, voice sharp as he finally regained himself once again. Sai's tears thankfully stopped and he immediately felt better. _As I thought, this unusual sickness is because of him._ "Get a handle on yourself and stop being extreme in your emotions. The only thing it's doing me is making me sick and at once wanting to find a legitimate exorcist to get rid of you!"

Sai stared at him dumbfounded. Hikaru did not care. Frankly, he had used up all the goodness he could give. Not to mention that this is the result of his rare goodwill. Excuse him for currently not feeling the need or even courtesy to be good.

He reached for his temple and massaged his head, trying to stave off the surely upcoming headache that this incident will undoubtedly follow. Or the next ones to come since the ghost could not apparently leave him with too great a distance to each other.

Is Kami punishing him for being a little shit before? He thought he had already been sufficiently punished by being an orphan.

"Here is what I think is happening," he started speaking even as his eyes are close. Hikaru knew that Sai is listening to him because the ghost gave a small sound of intrigue. "You can influence me through your emotions by making me sick. I hate it." He opened his eyes and looked at Sai to puncture the next words that would be coming our of his mouth. "I hate it. I hate that I have to be cautious speaking to a ghost just because he could somehow make me sick. I don't like to be sick. I can't afford to be sick. You are an adult so I know you can control yourself so please do it."

Hikaru had a few seconds to feel triumphant and relieved to have said all of that before his irritation deflated when a sudden blankness enveloped Sai's features.

 **"I understand,"** Sai murmured in a subdued manner. Hikaru blinked at that. Sai might look neutral in front of him but he could feel echoing feelings of sadness, distress and lastly profound resignation inside him that he knew did not come from him. For one thing, it was muted. Also, he really did not have any reason to feel like that.

That only means one thing. The emotion came from Sai.

For some reason, he felt himself start at that. He feels guilty.

How could a ghost make him feel guilty when no other has managed to make him feel like that before ever since he started not caring about other people?

Caring is a hazard. It's not healthy. It's not good. People can spot it immediately and will exploit and use it as his weakness. He could not afford weakness especially at this time when he is still struggling to live.

Granted, Sai is a ghost so the potential to care for the other would not be a hazard. Still, he do not want to start getting used to it.

"I'm not saying that you should suppress your own personality," he started again, carefully projecting a nonchalant aura even as he sipped his now going cold coffee. "I just want you to think about my welfare too." he let the cup own gently back to its saucer and continued. "You have power over me. I hope you realized that."

 **"I won't ever use it against you!"** Sai indignantly said. Hikaru involuntarily gave a small smile.

"I know," he simply said and it made Sai shut up. It's true. He had already known that Sai won't use his peculiar power against him. He just did not have that aura nor that temperament. The ghost is just childish and is often persuaded by his emotions.

At least that's how he knew him by the day he had known the ghost. How he was before when he was alive he did not know.

"Anyway, I have to go and look for a job now if I wanted to stay in this apartment still," Hikaru said as he stood up, gathering the cup and saucer along with the cellophane that had the bread he had eaten before as his breakfast.

 **"You have no job?"** Sai asked after he they were out of the apartment. Hikaru sighed before he took his phone from his pocket, silenced it and just placed it on vibrate so if ever someone called him it won't ring on his ear and put it on his ear before speaking.

"I... quit," and by quit he meant he shouted at the top of his lungs in front of his boss how much of a freaking dictator he was and that he was not a slave that he could just call 24/7 just because he was his secretary and threw his resignation letter at the man before walking out of there.

At least he lasted two months before he snapped and managed to save a lot of money in the process. That was his high-paying job in all of the ones he had earlier.

 **"Oh."** Sai fluttered around him and he rolled his eyes at that, not even sure why. **"Isn't looking for a job difficult? Why did you quit?"**

"Because of reasons," he politely said. There was silence after that and he was about to take the phone off his ear as he thought Sai would not talk anymore when he suddenly spoke.

 **"What would you do then if you haven't found a job?"**

"Get by with the money I have while trying to continue creating a story for my manga that the publishers will accept," he did not even hesitate in answering that as it was already on his mind.

Quitting his previous job has two cons and two pros for him.

The two cons are: 1) Now he had to look for a job again before his funds run out and 2) No income is coming his way for the duration of him being unemployed once again. But he was already used to that status so he did not really mind that much. He could get by.

The two pros are: 1) He gets to rest a little just like he had always done whenever he was unemployed because he always work long hours when he finds a job to gain additional income as he wasn't sure how long he could stay in it. 2) He gets to continue drafting manga to pass to a publisher that they would keep and hence, get him a steady and also enjoyable job.

He knows how to draw and has an overactive imagination ever since he was a child and he decided to use that now, those skills to get a steady job by only staying at home and giving life to stories. He had finished drafts before but was never accepted in any publishing house.

He would continue doing it until it really becomes a hopeless case. The publishing house he went to never really told him he would not succeed. Just that the story he had given, the p lot was already overused even if he twist it a little or a lot. It's common and they wanted something uncommon, something unique.

 **"Manga?"** Sai's clueless inquiry snapped him out of his thoughts and made him whip around to stare at the floating bloodstained ghost, ignoring the other people around looking at him in bewilderment.

"What?"

 **TBC.**

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 **A/N:**

It's getting long so I stopped and will continue in another chapter. Anyway, it's a slow start but I hope you continue waiting for more. I admit, this is kinda tame than all of the HnG ones I wrote, not to mention a little boring but it is necessary to build up something between them as Hikaru and Sai are starngers to each other..

Also, a little help for the manga-publisher thing? I'm a little lazy researching.

Anyway, what do you think? Any questions? Comments? Violent reactions?


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** Unedited. No Beta. Pairing is already revealed so expect slash. Hikaru is an adult here, remember guys. Ghost Sai. Kinda AU. **Short chapters and slow update.**

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 **The Haunting Of**

 **02:**

 **Previously...**

 _"Manga?" Sai's clueless inquiry snapped him out of his thoughts and made him whip around to stare at the floating blood-stained ghost, ignoring the other people around looking at him in bewilderment._

 _"What?"_

* * *

"You don't know manga?" Hikaru asked in disbelief, forgetting for a moment that he was talking to a ghost as he stared incredulously at the floating specter in disbelief. He regained his balance though when he saw people around him giving him a wide berth and staring at him as if he lost his mind.

He held his phone tightly in his hand even when it was still pressing on his ear and continued to walk. This time though, he changed his mind. He wasn't going to look for a job this day. "Change of plan. I'll be showing you some mangas that I like. We can't buy them of course since I'm tight with money. I'm just going to show it to you,"

 **"What is manga anyway?"**

Hikaru had to keep himself from hyperventilating when he heard that, resisting the very strong urge to glare at the spectre floating beside him.

Imagine, not knowing what manga is? It's absolutely scandalous!

"Did you live in a cave? It's completely unbelievable that you are asking me that," Hikaru's eyes were wide as he said that. "What is manga? Almost all the people in the world know what it is! Even those nerds who think a book that isn't an encyclopedia isn't worthy of being touched by their nerdy hands!" he finally hissed in dissatisfaction.

He did not look at the suddenly depressing aura beside him. He just stomped rapidly towards one of the small bookstore he frequented in when he wants to buy manga or feel the urge to buy informational books. Which was rare.

He has to teach this guy - or ghost - about the wonders of manga. The very thing that is an elite in his eyes.

There aren't a lot of things that could set him off, and most of them are already gone. Firstly is his family, but he is now alone so that's out. Second is an unfair treatment to himself. His pride isn't that high and isn't easily triggered since he learned to lengthen his patience. Then there is his love for books that captured his attention.

Manga is one of his addiction, along with light novels and anime. Though it doesn't evoke that much violence on his part, it does peeve him when others look down on it.

Call him childish but he really doesn't care. It is currently the only thing in the world that disrupts his zen-like attitude without fail. At least that addiction of his isn't destructive unlike anyone else.

He opened the door of the bookstore and called out as there wasn't anyone in the cashier. A woman walked out of the door just behind the cash register and looked at Hikaru with narrowed eyes.

"What are you doing here? Weren't you going to look for a job?"

Hikaru gave an easy smile. "Nah, not today. I wanna look at your manga stock."

She gave an amused smile. "That addiction of yours hit you hard?"

"Don't start!" he whined. "I am really in need of new materials but I have no money!"

"Look for a proper job, idiot."

"I will. Not now though. So...?" He raised his voice to stop the woman from saying anything else. She rolled her eyes.

"New ones already on the shelves. Look for them."

"Ayane!"

"Shut up Hikaru. How was I supposed to know you'll be coming today? You told me you'll be busy looking for a job. I can't just let the stocks stagnate inside the storage to wait for you." The girl called Ayane gave him a stink eye before she raised her hand and made a 'shoo' motion. "Go."

"Right, right. Going." He walked towards the shelf where he knew the new arrivals come and picked the latest volume of a manga he had inside his apartment. He then opened and read it right there as was his usual hobby when he lacked funds to indulge his addiction. He felt a cold presence behind him.

 **"That's a story with drawing!"** He heard Sai exclaim. He rolled his eyes at that.

 _Thanks for stating the obvious,_ he thought sarcastically.

 **"Well, it is!"** He dismissed what Sai said as he thought he had just continued his sentence before.

He gritted his teeth at that. He wants to say something but Ayane might hear him, even his whispers and hisses would be heard in this quiet place and she might come and investigate. He didn't want to be seen as a lunatic.

 _The point of this is you don't have to imagine what happened because the scene is right there! And the plot is good!_

 **"Oh, right,"** Sai said, making him feel weird.

"What are you saying right for?" he softly asked, making sure his voice wasn't that loud.

 **"You said the visuals help you imagine and the plot is good. From what I had seen, it's well-drawn and the story is interesting... Though I could not understand it. Maybe because this is Volume 10?"**

Hikaru forgot his irritation as he stared flabbergasted at the ghost who is now looking at the book in his hand with an interested expression on his face.

 _Did he just hear my thoughts?_ He thought to himself. But Sai currently didn't he heard anything. He tried again, this time deliberately calling out to the other.

 _"Hello?"_

"Yes?" Sai looked at him curiously.

 _"You can hear my thoughts?"_

 **"I don't... think so...?"** Sai's voice trailed off and his mouth opened a little wide when he noticed that though he clearly heard his voice because he did answer, his mouth wasn't even opened. **"I can hear you!"** Sai suddenly squealed happily. **"You don't have to take your phone out and pretend to have a call! Wr can telepathically talk!"**

 _"That is a disaster!"_ He brutally said, deflating Sai's happiness. _"I don't want anyone to hear my thoughts!"_

 **"I don't think I can hear all your thoughts. Only those you want to tell me. After all, you've been thinking since earlier but this is the first time I heard your voice in my mind,"** The ghost said calmly and intelligently. Hikaru calmed down hearing that and remembered what happened earlier.

Sai indeed did not hear his voice. Only when he himself wanted the ghost to hear him.

He nodded. _"You're right. This is convenient."_

They both went back to the manga to read the whole content. Hikaru was shaking in excitement when he finished and decided to reserve this copy so he could buy it later. Said pouted.

 _"What?"_

 **"Although it's good, I can't understand all of it. I want to read the first volume."**

Hikaru slowly smiled until he grinned widely at the ghost. _"Very good!"_ he happily said. _"Aren't you happy I introduced you to this?"_ Sai nodded rapidly, looking like a kid in sugar high.

 **"Is there any Go-related manga here?"** Sai excitedly asked. Hikaru frowned.

 _"What is go?"_ He couldn't help but snort seeing Sai's wide-eyed astonishment.

 **"You don't know go?!"** Sai shrieked. Hikaru flinched before glaring at the ghost. Sai ignored it and continued. **"Do you live in a cave? Go is the most amazing board game in the world!"**

Hikaru twitched hearing those familiar words thrown back at him. Though he felt like Sai didn't mean to, he couldn't help feeling like he was being sarcastic.

 _"So what? Go shouldn't be that popular if I hadn't heard of it."_

 **"It's good! I promise! Ask your friend if there are Go-related manga here."**

Hikaru grumbled but went to the cashier where Ayane was standing.

"You're done?" Ayane asked in surprise. He could not blame her. Oftentimes, when he has time, it takes him a long time before he could reluctantly leave the store. He often uses his friendship with Ayane to be able to read the manga's here for free. He grimaced.

"If I stay any longer I might be tempted to but all of your new arrivals. I'm still jobless."

"That's a positive attitude right there."

"But can you reserve this one? I'm definitely buying that." He gave the book he just read. Ayane nodded.

"Okay."

"By the way, are there any Go-related manga?" he asked curiously. His friend gave him a look of surprise.

"You know go?"

"Nope. You do?" He asked in return. She shook her head.

"Nope. I didn't have the patience," she answered.

 _"Patience is needed?"_

 **"A lot,"** Sai answered sagely. **"And strategy. You need your mind to be quick and decisive in striking. It's a popular game during ancient times to sharpen the minds of generals in times of peace."**

If patience is needed, then it's no wonder Ayane didn't learn. She is an impatient woman.

"Anyway, there is no go-related manga that was produced. I don't know why. Maybe because it's hard? Or nothing? How could you be able to excite your reader about Go anyway? It's a board game. Even chess, which is quite a popular board game is boring," she said.

Hikaru's mind was immediately taken by those words. From saying goodbye down to walking towards his apartment despite the early hour, his mind is working a lot. Sai was concerned about his host's current condition.

Suddenly, Hikaru's voice penetrated inside his mind.

 _"Is that the game that has black and white stones on a small table?"_

Sai didn't know whether to cry at how the other described his favorite game or delighted that after all, he knew about it.

He decided to just be happy.

 **"Yes."**

Hikaru suddenly dashed back to his apartment. It's a good thing Sai is currently a ghost and it was effortless to float as he followed the man.

When they arrived inside, Hikaru closed his door and gave a large smile. His eyes flames as he stared at the ghost.

"You know how to play Go?" He asked. He saw Sai nod cautiously. "You're good?" Sai suddenly gave a bashful smile.

 **"I think I am."**

Hikaru's eyes widened and twinkled, grin becoming even wider if that was possible. He released a shaky breath in excitement before he spoke again.

"Okay. Let's start again." Sai gave him a curious look. He ignored that and continued with his plan that was now starting to form inside his mind.

"Hi! I'm Shindou Hikaru."

Sai looked at him with wide eyes before he answered him, getting what he is trying to do.

 **"Ah, I'm Fujiwara Sai. Nice to meet you."**

 _His name is familiar,_ Hikaru thought to himself, temporarily derailing the thought of his mind before he once again returned his thoughts back to what he had in mind. It wasn't that hard because the idea gave him an extreme excitement.

Out of all the ideas he had, this one gave him a good feeling. A really good feeling.

"Now that we are acquainted, let's be a team!"

 **"... A team for what?"** Sai asked, unable to even hide his confusion.

The first time he had been with Hikaru, this man was acidic, blunt and a little silent. The only thing that changed him was when they went into that little bookstore and they were both reading a manga.

Now, the other actually looked mad as he stared at him full of excitement. It's like he changed without even a warning!

"We are going to create a manga about Go!"

 **TBC.**

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 **A/N:**

I finally had time to finish this. And the story is moving. Slow though but still. I really hope I can pull off my desired pairing cause I really want to write them. I think it'll be cute...

Oh! By the way, I updated some of my stories at the same time so check them out!

Anyway, **Vote and Comment!**


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